Morning journal and courier., 1887-05-10
I0TTINGS RY THE WAY.

JOVTAN9ES Hx TAE "Ays A Prominent New Haven Gentleman's Trip in Southern CalifOrnia-TwO Years of Journeyfng for Pleasure In Colorado and California-GIimpses of Santa Barbara, CanOns, Valleys, Ocean Shore Rides-A Startling D1s- i covery and a Very Fortunate One | California's Wonderful Climate. 1 SANTA BARBARA, Cal, May IA stay of
 nearly two years in California and Colorado
 has given some opportunities for observation. | A drive from the present connection of the Southern Pacific road from Los Angeles at
 Newhall, thence through "The Chi valley' l Spelled "Ajai", one of the most beautiful
 and well renowned valleys in the ''great
 State, y to Ventura upon the Pacific ocean,
 is only equalled by what I may hereafter
 state. Then highly interesting is side l drive through the famous Camalos ranche | where the scenes of Ramona's famous stories | were founded, all of intense and equal in terest, as pictured by 'H. H." Helen Hunt Jackson, in Ramona. The famous residences, ! the identical fields of mustard through which one can ride horseback and not be 1 seen, the little chapels, all in sight, as also ! the residences and the various canons of | the mountains, numerous here as is the case | all over California-all these meet the travel |
 ! But to return to the trip. We drive on ward from Ventura to Santa Barbara on the | ocean beach, driving from fifteen to twenty | miles, our wheels frequently in the water and the ocean waves fretting about the heels | of our four-in-hand and occasionally rolling | in shore with much spirit. Now and then | we turn rocky point and mentally wonder how the driver does it so neatly and rejoice | that we have trained horses and experienced | drivers. On we go, here and there turning out for big boulders.
 | The Southern Pacific Railroad company | is building it's road to Santa Barbara by | this route and it is now nearly finished. Cars l will run on it in few months, thanks to the 1000 Chinamen whom we saw at work near | ly as high up as the top of East Rock, exca- vating course for the cars on the side of the mountain, rolling down rocks of the size ot I many which we passed which had taken | similar plunge at the hands of these busy l bees and now strew the beach. Q Fifteen miles more and Santa Barbara IS reached. Santa Barbara is beautifully laid out in blocks of 45O feet at right angles; sur rounded by the mountains, offering more beautiful sites than can be imagined, except by one used to the wealth of natural attractions | in this part of the world. The drives are ! without number and alluring; the climate ! always genial. The hotels are unable to ac- commodate all who would like to be there. ] The Spanish population is quite considerable.
 
 the question. We have taken the drive over the beach on the ocean three times. What next shall we do? We will go over Cazitas Pass, equally wonderful but of & different kinda high mountain road affording great delight to the lover of fine scenery. The Cazitas Pass having been accomplished and disliking to take a back track, enquiry is made if no other route is practicable. Yea! Over the Southern Barbara mountains, two thousand five hundred feet elevation, through the Fremont or San Marcus route; or through the Gariota Pass, which is not as bard but is larger. The first is decided upon. With fourth hand on splendid morning the trip is begun. It is twenty miles around and it is two thousand five hundred feet upward. As we ascend the old missions and the hotels
 can be distinctly seen. The ascent is heavy, where grooves have been cut for horses feet for miles. We walked a distance and after 1unching the trip was resumed.
 The ascent required nearly six hours. The descent on the opposite side, through such rocks as are only equalled in the Garden of the Gods, required but one-half that time Fortunately at the only house within ten miles either side the occupants discovered
 our whiffietree bolt minus-our pole tongue hanging by chain. How long it had been so or how far we had descended the hill with out bolt we never shall know. The three
 ladies of the party were courageous and con
 cluded that such luck was preferable to the |
 nouements which shake one up prodigiously,
 to say nothing of worse results. Night came
 on and found us domiciled in 8 little place,
 ''Santa Inez." It rained that night and one
 of the party slept calmly in pool of water
 which had lea ked through the roof. But all
 ended in great fun.
 But such glorious sights of mountains, of
 old ocean as far as the eye could reach, of
 valleys such as had been sighted, made
 amends for all discomforts.
 Another trip is from f'Los Adams" to ''San
 Luis Obispo" by railroad, then by team
 through and over another mountain pass towards ''Passo Robbs." We pass through
 the Patrick Murphy rancho of fifteen or twen- tv miles in extent and the Bradbury rancho of ten or sixteen miles in extent, entirely un- cultivated, but used for grazing. can give no idea of it except by comparing 1t to pri- vate gentleman's park of oaks of hundred or more years growth. "Passo Robbs" is destined to be one of the noted watering places of the Pacific. It is already 8 well known resort. Through all this country to Santa Cruz the route is one of special beauty. For one hundred or two hundred mil es the land is susceptible to great production.
 The Southern Pacific railroad is extending it's branches thitherward and then the region will bud and blossom. At present it is as nature made it. But the interests of parties will soon develop it's resources. Along the Salinas river are already towns of prosperity which will multiply, as has been the case in other similar localities.
 The rapidity with which towns have sprung up and are springing up in Southern
 California is magical. One must see it to be
 convinced. The smallpox scare did not keep
 people from coming to Los Angeles where
 we passed four months of the healthiest part
 of our existence.
 The trip to ''Ajai Valley" probably saved
 us from the fire at Del Monte, as otherwise
 we should have been there instead of having
 been in Santa Barbara and learning in the express office that the fire was just then rag
 ing. Many of our friends wera there, and their plight was truly pitiable as we have
 learned from their own lips.
 The climate of California is truly wonder full; too much cannot be said in praise of it; and yet many who arrived during the wet season of February this year-generally two
 or three months earlier-were disgusted and
 wished they were home in the East. could write for month about the beauties and
 wonders of this region, but perhaps this will do to show New Haven friends how we like 1t here. M.